Page 120 of The Secrets We Built Together

She was quiet for a long moment, her breathing syncing with Amelia's and mine until it felt like we were one organism, breathing together in the gathering dusk.

"You know what's funny?" she finally murmured.

"What?"

"I spent so long running from my past, trying to prove I could make it on my own. And then this little girl shows up on my doorstep, and suddenly I can't imagine doing any of this alone."

I pressed a kiss to the top of Blake's head, inhaling the familiar scent of her shampoo. "You're not alone anymore. And neither am I."

The sky had darkened while we talked, stars beginning to poke through the indigo canvas above us. From where we sat, I could just make out the silhouette of our oak tree at the edge of the property—the same one where Blake had taken Amelia for sketching that day when everything began to change between us. It seemed fitting that it would stand guard over this new chapter of our lives too.

Amelia stirred against my chest, making the small snuffling sounds that usually preceded waking. Blake reached up to stroke her cheek with one finger, that artist's hand so gentle it made my heart ache. Amelia settled again, her tiny mouth forming a perfect O as she exhaled.

"I should get back to work," Blake said, but made no move to get up.

"Stay," I whispered. "Just for a little while longer."

She nestled closer, her body relaxed against mine. "Five more minutes."

I smiled into the darkness, perfectly content to sit there forever with the two people who had somehow become my entire world. "Five more minutes," I agreed.

But when I glanced down a few minutes later, Blake's eyes had drifted closed, her breathing deep and even. She'd fallen asleep against my shoulder, exhaustion finally catching up with her. I didn't have the heart to wake her. Instead, I adjusted my position slightly to make her more comfortable and watched as the first fireflies of the season began to dance across the lawn.

I'd spent so many years trying to outrun my demons, to prove that I was stronger than my weaknesses. But it turned out that real strength wasn't about standing alone against the world. It was about building something worth fighting for. A home. A family. A life filled with purpose and meaning.

As I sat there with Blake and Amelia sleeping against me, I felt a profound sense of peace settle over me. This—right here—was everything I'd never known I wanted. And I would move heaven and earth to protect it.

"I love you both," I whispered into the night air, the words feeling like a promise and a prayer. "More than you'll ever know."

For the first time in my life, I was exactly where I was supposed to be.

Chapter 43

Blake

The summer sun beat down on my shoulders as I spread the picnic blanket across the grassy field. Amelia squealed with delight, immediately trying to crawl off the edge and explore the nearby wildflowers. Once she became mobile, all bets were off and I was pretty sure I was never going to relax again.

"Oh no you don't, strawberry," I laughed, scooping her up before she could make her escape. "Not until your sunscreen dries."

She wrinkled her nose at me, her chubby hands reaching for my face as I kissed her forehead. Nine months old and already so determined. So full of curiosity. Every day with her was a new adventure, and I couldn't believe how lucky I was that she was ours. Officially, legally, forever ours.

I glanced over at Xander, who was retrieving something from the truck. The afternoon light cast a golden glow over him, highlighting the strong lines of his shoulders beneath his t-shirt.The sight of him still made my heart skip a beat, even after all these months together.

"You look happy," he said, catching me staring as he walked back to the blanket. He was carrying a cardboard tube in one hand and a small cooler in the other.

"I am happy," I replied.

Xander's eyes crinkled at the corners as he smiled, setting down the cooler. "Are you ready to get to work on a very important project?"

"Intriguing," I teased, settling Amelia on my lap. "Are you plotting something, Farrington?"

"Always." He winked, and my stomach did that little flip it always did when he looked at me that way–like I was the most interesting person he'd ever met.

He sat down on the blanket beside us, his knee pressing against mine. Amelia immediately lunged for him, and he caught her with practiced ease, lifting her high in the air until she giggled.

When he released her onto the blanket between us, she pushed herself up onto her hands and knees, rocking back and forth with determination. In the past week, she'd mastered a speedy army crawl that had us childproofing every corner of the cottage. Now she was working on the real thing, her little bottom wiggling in the air as she tried to coordinate her limbs.

"She's going to be walking before we know it," I said, watching her with pride as she successfully moved forward a few inches, reached for a dandelion, and promptly tried to eat it.

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